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Originally Posted by aladinsane33  Well, thank you for another comprehensive reply showing an interest far and above what I expected, and yes your right on just about every account you mention. I think your probably a behaviourist a psychologist or both, for you have me right and my little dog Toby too, your right on the button here. Yes again as I hinted at previously, you are correct in what you say when you indicate Toby feels through the leash my anxieties but, for me, stopping them is quite another thing as I fear larger dogs near Toby, and will indeed go out of my way to avoid them, that is essentially[as well as liking gardening] why I got an allotment garden so, as it were, I have somewhere where Toby and I can spend time, where he can have freedom from a leash and have a bit time out, for walking him as you seem to indicate has become an anxious time. Toby has never worn a collar,always a harness and nothing around his neck whilst at home.Your right again where you mention Trachea problems in Yorkies I fear he may get a dropped trachea and would hesitate to put him a collar on.
I so wish I lived somewhere remotely near you, as I believe your probably the panacea Toby needs but alas I don't so I will just have to get on with things and try the methods you mention. As you say nothing quick here, however, I will remain steadfast and try your methodology.. Regards Rob |
Oh, Rob, I'm so glad you are willing to try to help your sweet guy as so many would just give up on a little guy like this and some, as you know, would surrender him or have him put down! You surely love him to bits and I believe you can take firm but loving charge of him, show him with your firm but matter-of-fact & never scary/frightening training what is unacceptable and acceptable when he meets another dog out on the leash and once that's behind him and he's doing that well, can advance further than that in how to re-socialize him so he can be around dogs in a home setting, after further retraining/re-socializing him there. Those are a whole new set of training sessions.
Even after his re-training in dog socialization, I'd tend to keep a lead on him for quite some time in a home-setting when he's around other dogs until he's gone more than two years without trying to attack and if he can go that long w/out flexing up on another dog, it will show he's likely as predicable as any dog will be around any other dog in any social setting.
No, I'm no behaviorist or anything like that, I've just always worked with helping dogs since I was a teen, foster dogs and otherwise, many of them deeply troubled and learned what different things work to help them from my own experiences over the years, and read just about every book I can get my hands on, in print or audio, about canine behavior. You can, too. Read your local and other cities libraries out of all their canine and canine body-language books and scour your second-hand bookshops for dog behavior /body-language books that are not older than 20 -25 years(older than that they are usually so old-school that they aren't helpful) and you will learn how to help your baby and rehabilitate him. Read all you can about positive-reinforcement training, too. Lots of information is on the internet, too. Let me know if I can help in any way. Jeanie
Keep us updated on how he's coming along, won't you please? And good luck and blessings to you both. Jeanie